Wearable clipboard pouch system

ABSTRACT

A wearable clipboard pouch is disclosed herein. The wearable clipboard pouch includes a pouch, a closure strap, a belt loop, and a band. The pouch has two parallel flat panels joined together at three of four edges to form a compartment able to hold a clipboard. At the fourth edge, an opening is defined, and a flap able to act as a closure projects outwardly from the pouch. The flap can be curled back over the opening to close it, and the closure-strap may be used to affix the flap closed over the opening. The belt loop may be a closed loop of channel able to accept a belt. The band may connect the belt loop to the pouch and suspend the pouch from a belt when the belt loop is hung on a belt.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

The present application is related to and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/806,326 filed Feb. 15, 2019, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present disclosure. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art nor material to the presently described or claimed inventions, nor that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to the field of apparel accessories of existing art and more specifically relates to wearable pouches.

RELATED ART

People use purses, back packs, and similar receptacles to carry small personal items. Numerous types of such prior receptacles have been developed to suit particular needs and fashions. A clipboard is a thin, rigid board with a clip at the top for holding paper in place. A clipboard is typically used to support paper with one hand while writing on it with the other, especially when other writing surfaces are not available. Clipboards are widely used in the work field by inspectors, foreman, or other workers and no suitable holder or carrier exists. However, clipboards can be ungainly and difficult to carry while multitasking. A suitable solution is desired.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,659,321 to Bruce W. Hartranft et al. relates to a pocket-mounted tool pouch. The described pocket-mounted tool pouch includes an internal tool receiving portion and an external tool receiving portion such that the internal tool receiving portion is insertable into the user pocket to provide a protective tool holder within the user pocket and the external tool receiving portion is positioned outside of the user pocket for receiving tools. The internal tool receiving portion has first and second internal members which are generally planar elements that are attached to each other to form an internal tool receiving cavity. The external tool receiving portion has first and second external members which are generally planar elements that are attached to each other to form a second tool receiving cavity. This is representative of wearable pouch art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known wearable pouch art, the present disclosure provides a novel wearable clipboard pouch and method. The general purpose of the present disclosure, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a wearable clipboard pouch and method.

A wearable clipboard pouch is disclosed herein. The wearable clipboard pouch includes a pouch, a closure strap, a belt loop, and a band. The pouch has two parallel flat panels joined together at three of four edges to form a compartment able to hold a clipboard. At the fourth edge, an opening is defined, and a flap able to act as a closure projects outwardly from the pouch. The flap can be curled back over the opening to close it, and the closure-strap may be used to affix the flap closed over the opening. In this configuration, a clipboard is able to be contained within the pouch. The belt loop is a closed loop or sleeve of material forming a channel able to accept a belt. The band connects the belt loop to the pouch and suspend the pouch from a belt when the belt loop is hung on a belt.

For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and methods of use for the present disclosure, a wearable clipboard pouch and method, constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the wearable pouch during an ‘in-use’ condition, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the wearable pouch of FIG. 1 in an empty and open configuration, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the wearable pouch of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the wearable pouch of FIG. 1 detailing a fastening system, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of the wearable pouch of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As discussed above, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a wearable pouch and more particularly to a wearable clipboard pouch as used to improve the securing and carrying of a clipboard.

Generally, the present invention provides a clipboard pouch system useful for carrying a clipboard while a wearer is climbing up a ladder, walking on a roof, or completing other tasks in the work field. The device may comprise a pouch which is attachable to a belt through a loop located at the top of the pouch. The loop, in one exemplary embodiment, may measure approximately nine inches and may fit standard size belts. The pouch itself may measure ten and one-fourth inches long, and twelve inches high. The loop and pouch may be attached with a piece of angled material. The angled material measures approximately four inches on one side, down to one and a half inches on the other, creating an angle for the pouch with the opening angled upward. This geometry may be useful for preventing the clipboard from falling out of the pouch when carried.

The clipboard pouch system may have a pouch for holding a clipboard and also a belt for holding the pouch. The device may be secured to a waist of a user allowing the user to be hands-free when not using the clipboard.

The clipboard pouch system is a pouch that allows workman of all types, including inspectors, foreman, judges and anyone else that works with paperwork in the field and needs to store it when not in use. The device includes the pouch and the belt which may be secured through a loop. The loop may go around a user's belt and hangs at an angle to allow quick access to clipboards. The pouch may be waterproofed ballistic nylon or other suitable material to keep paperwork safe in wet conditions. Once a clipboard is inserted, a strap using a hook-and-loop fastener or other type of closure may fold over the top of the clipboard and connect on the front of the pouch, effectively keeping the clipboard securely in place within the pouch.

The material of the clipboard pouch system may be slightly elastic in order to accommodate clipboards of varying sizes. The clipboards may include clipboards such as the 1-inch thick box-type clipboards that provide additional protection inside and have a fastening clip on the outside. The clipboard is secured conveniently at the waist of the user enabling quick and easy access to the clipboard and contents.

The device enables users to use both hands freely without having to leave a clipboard somewhere where it may be forgotten. The strap securely holds the clipboards in various conditions and enables convenient access to the clipboard. The exact specifications, materials used, of use of the clipboard pouch system may vary upon manufacturing.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings by numerals of reference, there is shown in FIGS. 1-5, various views of a wearable pouch 100.

FIG. 1 shows a wearable pouch during an ‘in-use’ condition 50, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Here, wearable pouch 100 may be beneficial for use by a user to secure and carry a clipboard more conveniently. As illustrated, wearable pouch 100 may include pouch 110, closure-strap 120, belt-loop 130, and band 140. Belt-loop 130 may be able to receive a belt 20 so that wearable pouch 100 may be worn by a user, being suspended from belt 20. Band 140 may be composed of a planar fabric panel. Band 140 may affix pouch 110 to belt-loop 130, such that pouch 110 may be suspended from belt-loop 130. Band 140 may be elastic to enact a suspension effect between pouch 110 and belt 20. In one exemplary embodiment, pouch 110 and belt-loop 130 may be each constructed of waterproofed ballistic nylon.

FIG. 2 shows wearable pouch 100 of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Pouch 110 may have interior-compartment 112. Interior-compartment 112 may be composed of first-panel 114 and second-panel 116. First-panel 114 and second-panel 116 may be substantially parallel to each other and are joined and bounded by three closed-edges 118 and an opening 119 to form pouch 110. These three closed-edges 118 each join first-panel 114 to second-panel 116, and leave opening 119 on the fourth side, such that flap 122 may be curled over opening 119 to close interior-compartment 112. Preferably, first-panel 114 is stitched to second-panel 116. Closure-strap 120 may be affixed to pouch 110 and may be able to retain flap 122 in a curled position to close interior-compartment 112 and thereby retain clipboard 10 (FIG. 1) contained therein. First panel and second-panel 116 may be separated by a pouch-width 152, pouch-width 152 being within ten percent of one-inch. Interior-compartment 112 of pouch 110 may have a compartment-width 154 and a compartment-length 156, the compartment-width 154 measuring within ten-percent of nine inches, and the compartment-length 156 measuring within twenty-percent of twelve-and-a-half inches, such that interior-compartment 112 is suitable sized to receive a standard clipboard.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the wearable pouch 100 of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Band 140 may be comprised of an elastic fabric. Band 140 may be defined by a belt-edge 142 and a pouch-edge 144 opposite belt-edge 142. Pouch-edge 142 and belt-edge 144 may be nonparallel to each other when band 140 is laid flat, such that band 140 may be further bounded by a short-edge 146 running between belt-edge 144 and pouch-edge 142, and a long-edge 148 running between belt-edge 144 and pouch-edge 142, band 140 comprising a total of four consecutive edges. Effectively, band 140 may be trapezoidal in this embodiment, pacing pouch 110, and clipboard 10 (FIG. 1) if contained therein, at an angle relative to belt-loop 130. This geometry improves the retainability of clipboard 10 (FIG. 1) within pouch 110 and improves the ease of insertion and removal of clipboard 10 (FIG. 1) by a user when wearable pouch 100 is being worn by the user. In one exemplary embodiment, belt-edge 144 and pouch-edge 142 may be angled relative to each other by more than twenty degrees.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the wearable pouch 100 of FIG. 1 detailing a fastening system, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Wearable pouch 100 may also include hook-and-loop fastener 160 as a fastener for closure-strap 120. Hook-and-loop fastener 160 may be able to removably affix closure-strap 120 to pouch 110 in order to retain flap 122 (FIG. 2) in a curled position to close interior-compartment 112 (FIG. 2) and retain clipboard 10 (FIG. 1) within interior-compartment 112 (FIG. 2).

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of the wearable pouch 100 of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated, opening 119 may itself include flap 122. Flap 122 may merely be an extension of pouch 110 and may be integral to both to second-panel 116 (FIG. 2) and closure-strap 120. Alternatively, it may be a separate attached component. Flap 122 may be disposed perpendicularly to pouch-edge 142 (FIG. 3) of band 140, and flap 122 may also be disposed proximate to short-edge 146 (FIG. 3) of band 140, causing opening 119 of pouch 110 to be angled toward an axis of belt-loop 130.

The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. 

What is claimed is new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:
 1. A wearable pouch able to contain a clipboard, the wearable pouch comprising: a pouch having an interior-compartment having a first-panel and a second-panel, the first-panel and the second-panel being substantially parallel, the pouch being bounded by three closed-edges and an opening, such that the three-closed edges each join the first-panel to the second-panel, the opening itself comprising a flap, such that the flap may be curled over the opening to close the interior-compartment; a closure-strap affixed to the pouch able to retain the flap in a curled position to close the interior-compartment; a belt-loop able to receive a belt; and a band comprising a planar fabric panel affixing the pouch to the belt-loop, such that the pouch may be suspended from the belt-loop.
 2. The wearable pouch of claim 1, wherein the band further comprises a belt-edge and a pouch-edge opposite the belt-edge, the pouch-edge and the belt-edge being nonparallel when the band is laid flat, such that the band may be further bounded by a short-edge running between the belt-edge and the pouch-edge, and a long-edge running between the belt-edge and the pouch-edge, the band comprising a total of four consecutive edges.
 3. The wearable pouch of claim 2, wherein the belt-edge and the pouch-edge are angled relative to each other by more than twenty degrees.
 4. The wearable pouch of claim 1, further comprising a hook-and-loop fastener, the hook-and-loop fastener being able to removably affix the closure-strap to the pouch in order to retain the flap in a curled position to close the interior-compartment.
 5. The wearable pouch of claim 1, wherein the band comprises of an elastic fabric.
 6. The wearable pouch of claim 5, wherein the flap may be disposed perpendicularly to the pouch-edge of the band, and the flap may be disposed proximate to the short-edge of the band, causing the opening of the pouch to be angled toward an axis of the belt-loop.
 7. The wearable pouch of claim 1, wherein the flap is integral to the second-panel of the pouch.
 8. The wearable pouch of claim 1, wherein the first-panel is stitched to the second-panel.
 9. The wearable pouch of claim 1, wherein the first panel and the second-panel are separated by a pouch-width, the pouch-width being within ten percent of one-inch.
 10. The wearable pouch of claim 1, wherein the interior-compartment of the pouch has a compartment-width and a compartment-length, the compartment-width measuring within ten-percent of nine inches, and the compartment-length measuring within twenty-percent of twelve-and-a-half inches, such that the interior-compartment is suitable sized to receive a standard clipboard.
 11. The wearable pouch of claim 1, wherein the pouch and the belt-loop are each comprised of waterproofed ballistic nylon.
 12. A clipboard belt pouch accessory comprising: a pouch having an interior-compartment having a first-panel and a second-panel, the first-panel and the second-panel being substantially parallel, the pouch being bounded by three closed-edges and an opening, such that the three-closed edges each join the first-panel to the second-panel, the opening itself comprising a flap, such that the flap may be curled over the opening to close the interior-compartment; a closure-strap affixed to the pouch able to retain the flap in a curled position to close the interior-compartment; a belt-loop able to receive a belt; and a band comprising a planar fabric panel affixing the pouch to the belt-loop, such that the pouch may be suspended from the belt-loop; wherein the band further comprises a belt-edge and a pouch-edge opposite the belt-edge, the pouch-edge and the belt-edge being nonparallel when the band is laid flat, such that the band may be further bounded by a short-edge running between the belt-edge and the pouch-edge, and a long-edge running between the belt-edge and the pouch-edge, the band comprising a total of four consecutive edges; wherein the belt-edge and the pouch-edge are angled relative to each other by more than twenty degrees; further comprising a hook-and-loop fastener, the hook-and-loop fastener being able to removably affix the closure-strap to the pouch in order to retain the flap in a curled position to close the interior-compartment; wherein the band is elastic; wherein the flap may be disposed perpendicularly to the pouch-edge of the band, and the flap may be disposed proximate to the short-edge of the band, causing the opening of the pouch to be angled toward an axis of the belt-loop; wherein the flap is integral to the second-panel of the pouch; wherein the first-panel is stitched to the second-panel; wherein the first panel and the second-panel are separated by a pouch-width, the pouch-width being within ten percent of one-inch; and wherein the interior-compartment of the pouch has a compartment-width and a compartment-length, the compartment-width measuring within ten-percent of nine inches, and the compartment-length measuring within twenty-percent of twelve-and-a-half inches, such that the interior-compartment is suitable sized to receive a standard clipboard. 